Former US presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who has openly opposed Donald Trump’s candidacy, says it is very likely that the Republican nominee wins the presidential election in November.

“To be honest, it’s very possible in my view that Trump wins,” Romney said on Radio Free GOP podcast released two weeks ago.

“I wouldn’t think it’d be by a landslide, but I think he could win. I think he could lose, I think he could lose by a landslide. But, I don’t know which it’s going to be and a lot of that depends on what happens to Hillary Clinton. Is there a meltdown moment, or some implosion of some kind,” he added.

He said the millionaire deserves credit for connecting with voters and wining the party’s nomination.

“You have to give Donald Trump credit, he was able to bring a rhetoric and a style that he had perfected over his career to the political sphere and connect with people and become the nominee,” Romney said.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (AFP file photo)

Romney said the very crowded field of the Republican candidates provided an ideal setting for Trump to miss being scrutinized in a way that might have kept him from winning the nomination.

“Despite the fact that I and a lot of other people thought he would not be an ideal nominee, he is. At this stage, it’s rougher going, but I can’t predict what’s gonna happen,” he added.

Back in June, Romney said Trump could legitimize racism and bigotry and change the moral fabric of the US society, if wins the presidency.

Romney also described Clinton as “an awful candidate” who was trying to act like her husband former President Bill Clinton.

“You can’t forget that Hillary Clinton is a player as well, and she’s an awful candidate. People don’t trust her, they don’t like in my view she comes across as not being at all authentic,” he added.

A Gallup poll released earlier this month found that Trump and Clinton are among the worst-rated presidential candidates of the last 70 years.

Trump, however, has taken a two-percentage point lead over Clinton, marking the first time he has been ahead since early May, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll.